Turn-table for cranes or the like.



`PATENTED DBC. 29, 1903.

R. WILKE. `TURN TABLE POR CRANES `0R THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2. 1903.

No MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented December 29, 1903.

PATENT OEEICE.

RICHARD WILKE, OF BRUNSWICK, GERMANY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 748,328, dated December 29, 1903.

Application tiled April 2, 1903. Serial No. 150,849. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD WILKE, engineer, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Brunswick, Duchy of Brunswick, Empire of Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Turn-Tables for Cranes or the Like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object an arrangement for altering the direction of movement of large mechanisms traveling on rails-such, for instance, as frame or bridge cranes, traveling stages, and the like.

The ondinarymeans for producing an alteration of direction or a displacement from one track to another, such as turn-tables and moving rails, take up too much room and are costly and expensive to work for objects of great length. For displacing frame or bridge cranes from one track to another special cranes have, for instance, to be employed which lift the bridge-crane or the like ott from one track and deposit it on the other. Such arrangements are of course very expensive.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is adiagrammatic plan of the arrangement of turn-tables. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the wheels of a crane in position on the turn-tables. Fig. 3 shows a special form of crane approaching the turn-tables. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatical view of the arrangement of the apparatus when it is desired to transfer the crane from one track to a track extending parallel therewith.

Now in the present invention the wheels r of the traveling mechanism are separately arranged so as to pivot on vertical pins b, and a suitable number of small turn-tables c are placed at the crossing or branches of the separate rails of the track, such number corresponding to the number of the wheels, which turn-tables may be turned separately or simultaneously by means of suitable devices. When the traveling mechanism has run onto the crossing or switch place in such a way that each Wheel r stands on a turn-table and each pivot bstands over the point of rotation of the respective turn-table, the turn-tables are turned toasuitable angle, each disk turning the wheel resting upon it on its vertical pin, so that now the mechanism can run forward in the direction of the fresh track, Fig.

2. During the turning the wheels may be secured against rotation by means of suitable devices. Where, however, instead of single wheels groups of wheels, as in Fig. 3, are employed, each of such groups may be made to pivot on a common vertical pin, and correspondingly a single turn-table may be provided also for each group of wheels. Here also, of course, the wheels must run onto the turn-tables in such a way that the pins b stand over the center point of the turn-table. In a frame-crane, however, on which the load is capable of moving transversely, a displacement is only necessary in one direction and its displacement on the crossing-track would appear to be objectless. If, however, it is assumed that the same crossing and turn-table arrangement is repeated in this second or crossing track, the possibility is afforded of moving the crane by a double alteration of direction into a suitable direction and, in fact, parallel to the first track, as shown in Fig. 4. The transfer of the crane from one track to a parallel track is thus effected.

I declare that what I claim is- 1. A device for alteringthe direction of movement of large articles, such as cranes, moving stages and the like adapted to travel on rails in which the separate wheels or groups of wheels are each pivoted on vertical pins bA and each crossing or switching place of the separate rails has a separate turn-table c which in its rotation turns the wheel or group of wheels standing upon it, on its vertical pins l) substantially as described.

2. A shifting device for traveling bodies consisting of two series of rail-crossings, each series formed of four sections and arranged in a rectangular manner, each of said sections of each series comprising a turn-table carrying four radially-extending rail-sections thereby enabling a traveling body to be displaced from one track to a track extending parallel therewith after twice altering the direction f movement of said traveling body.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RICHARD WILKE.

Witnesses:

WILHELM LEHRKE, JULIUS SECKEL. 

